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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23369524">First Contact</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/newyorktopaloalto/pseuds/newyorktopaloalto'>newyorktopaloalto</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Get (Back) Into the Groove [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Trek: Enterprise</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 12:34:34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>578</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23369524</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/newyorktopaloalto/pseuds/newyorktopaloalto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A chat between Hoshi and Trip after a first contact.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hoshi Sato &amp; Charles "Trip" Tucker III</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Get (Back) Into the Groove [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1680829</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>First Contact</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Disclaimer: Don't own Enterprise, but the aliens, as always, are mine. </p>
<p>Thank you for reading - hope you enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So… What was it like?”</p>
<p>“What was what like?” </p>
<p>Trip let out an exaggerated, ‘aw, come <i>on</i>!’ and Hoshi had to bite her lip against her burgeoning smile - he was draped half across the small table in the mess, leaning on his left elbow, his chin on his hands like an overexcited child - before she let the rest of the game away. She hummed and took what she hoped looked like a mysterious sip of her tea as she held Trip’s eye. </p>
<p>“Hoshi,” he started warningly, “don’t do this to me, girlie. I’m your friend, right?” Hoshi nodded, wondering where Trip was going to go with this. “We’re close friends, Hosh, and I’d like to think that we’ve developed a bond that no one else on this ship can take away from us…” </p>
<p>He paused there and let the end of his plea linger in the space between them. </p>
<p>“The entire planet lights up at night,” Hoshi finally said, half of her mind still on the emerging colors the away team had seen as the dual suns set on the southern continent of Aaxar 45-B. “Everything is timed to their rotational axis - it’s taken the Aaxar over a thousand years to perfect it.” She paused then, knowing a light flush was overtaking her face. “At least that’s what Alu’k-Le’kar was telling me.” </p>
<p>“Oh ho.” Trip dropped his hand from his chin - from his Cheshire-like grin, he had most definitely managed to ascertain the slight shift in Hoshi’s tone that she had been trying to hide. “We’re on first names with the Aaxar now, are we? Who’s Alu’k-Le’kar?” </p>
<p>“They don’t have first names, it’s more like a clan marking along with a patronym - or whatever the Aaxar’s equivalent of a patronym is, I haven’t quite managed to fully translate their language yet.” </p>
<p>Trip raised his eyebrow and Hoshi knew she wouldn’t be able to dodge her friend’s inquiry for much longer; better to bite the metaphorical bullet, as they used to say. </p>
<p>“He’s an exolinguist - head of the Aaxar’s governmental division.” </p>
<p>“Uh-huh.” </p>
<p>“And we talked for awhile after the meeting.” </p>
<p>“Captain said you didn’t get back until almost sunset.” </p>
<p>Hoshi flushed brighter. “How did he - ?” </p>
<p>“Had Malcolm keep a tail on you,” Trip said, and held up his hands in supplication at her scoff. “It’s a first contact, darlin’, I would’a done the same thing.” </p>
<p>“I’m sure.” </p>
<p>They sat for a few moments before Trip snorted and gave Hoshi a look she couldn’t quite decipher. </p>
<p>“So I guess that explains why you were asked for by name when we go back down there tomorrow, doesn’t it?” </p>
<p>Hoshi hummed a little in surprise before she could stop herself and Trip grinned over his own cup before winking at her. </p>
<p>“You’re a terrible person, Trip Tucker,” she said after he had started to laugh at her stammered replies. “I actually believed you for a minute there.” </p>
<p>“Had you going, didn’t I?” </p>
<p>“Yeah, yeah, you’re a real comedian, Commander.” </p>
<p>Trip grinned once more and stood up, stretching out for a moment before bending down to ruffle Hoshi’s hair. </p>
<p>“See you for debrief, Hosh.” </p>
<p>“1935, sharp, Sir.” </p>
<p>Trip gave her a lazy salute and left Hoshi to her thoughts. She wouldn’t mind another day on Aaxar 45-B, especially if the company was much the same as it had been previously. </p>
<p>“Good first contact,” she murmured to herself, going through her data pad to continue her study of the Aaxar language. “Avack’k ej’een ak-a’livi.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>xoxo</p></blockquote></div></div>
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